Bee Friendly Plants for Your Garden and Farm1

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BEE-FRIENDLY PLANTS FOR YOUR GARDEN AND FARM

We wish to acknowledge and thank our study sponsors, the Agriculture Environment and Wildlife Fund and Metro Vancouvers Agricu

Awareness Program, and our Community Campaign sponsor, Port Metro Vancouver, for their support of Feed The Bees.

BEE FRIENDLY PLANTS FOR YOUR GARDEN AND FARM 01 March 2012 - Page 1 of 8

eb - Mar Plant description Garden Ecosystem PhotoChristmas RoseHelleborus orientalis

This is a great perennial for the winter garden,

blooming from January until April. The evergreen winter

foliage is dramatic in the summer garden as well.

Performs well in shady sites, forest understory, with

ample humus.

Woodland

Oregon GrapeCharity Mahonia

Mahonia x mediaCharity (pictured)

M. nervosa; M. aquifolium (native)

All mahonias are attractive to bees. Charity is 6 8

high evergreen shrub blooms very early, from January

through March at a time when few other plants are in

flower. Spiky foliage provides architectural impact year

round. Mahonias prefer some shade in summer.

Woodland

pril - May

Thrift Armeria maritima

Compact grassy clumps to 8

Bright pink flower clusters in spring.

Does well in dry sandy soils.

Native

Seaside

Dry meadows

Cranesbill Geranium macrorhizum

Pale pink flowers for several weeks in early spring,

grows up to 18 tall, spreading clumps. Very easy.

Bees like most perennial geraniums but they really love

this species!

Woodland or

Open Meadow


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ColumbineAquilegia vulgarisA. formosa (Native)

A short-lived perennial, will self-seed readily. Low

foliage, flowers about 18 30. The double ones

especially are smothered in bees.

Woodland

Bugloss Brunnera Jack Frost

An excellent early season perennial starting bloom in

April and continuing for many weeks. Attractive silveryfoliage and blue flowers, grows about 1218 high.

Great for edging paths, in front of shrubs. Needs shade

and moisture in summer.

Woodland

Chives Allium shoenoprasum

Common garden chives are easy to grow. Great for

attracting pollinators to vegetable gardens. Edible

flowers and foliage. Less than 1 tall.

Adaptable sun

Orange Spice thymeThymus spp

A good landscaping thyme, excellent ground cover and

between paving stones. The bees wont leave it alone.

Shallow soil

Dry conditions

Stone crop Sedum spathufolium

Prostrate mat with silver fleshy leaves. Yellow flowers in

May. Drought tolerant.

Native

Rocky outcrops

Seaside


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Fringe cup Tellima grandiflora

Low growing rosettes of leaves with small flowers on

12 stems. Flowers are not showy but highly attractive

to bees.

Native

Woodland

une

Lupin Lupinus polyphylus

At its best in early spring, palmately compound leaveswith blue to violet flowers. Give adequate moisture to

prevent mildew, will grow back if cut hard after bloom.

Native

Open edges

Disturbed sites

Moist

Rose Rosa Frau Dagmar Hartopf

Bees prefer the single roses in the Earthwise garden.

Native roses, species and shrubs are relatively easy

landscape plants that will attract pollinators. Dont betempted to spray.

Sun

Partial shade

Foxglove Digitalis purpurea

This biennial is a common site, naturalized throughout

the Pacific Northwest. A good choice for shadier sites.

Woodland

Edges

Disturbed sites

Cranesbill Geranium cantabrigiensis Cambridge

Another perennial geranium the bees are crazy for. This

one is compact and blooms for many months. Grows to

about 8 high and spreads 2-3 Very effective next to

paving.

Adaptable to many

garden situations


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California lilacCeanothus Victoria

A native of the west coast of North America, California

lilac does well in mild coastal gardens. Forms an

evergreen shrub 6-8 high, blue flowers highly attractive

to bees.

Dry open meadows

Cornflower Centaurea montana

Another self-seeding perennial and old time garden

favourite. The flower pictured is the selection

Amethyst in Snow.

Sunny

Moist

uly

Beardtongue Penstemon mexicalli

Penstemons are North American natives and the bees

seem to love seem to love all of them. This variety

blooms in mid-summer and self seeds, but is not

invasive.

Sunny

Open meadows

Catmint NepetaDropmore Blue

An all-time bee favorite. You can hear the plants before

you see them. Flowers over an extended flower season

in summer. Will bloom again if cut back. Low greyish

foliage, flower stalks 18 24. Spreads to make large

clump.

Sunny

Dry sites

Lavender Lavandula angustifolia

Lavenders are highly attractive to bees. There are many

species and cultivars. The variety Munsted (shown) is

readily available.

Dry open meadows


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Tickseed Coreopsis verticillataMoonbeam

Easy to garden with, this is a cultivar of a North

American prairie wildflower. Soft yellow flowers cover

the 14 mounding plants for weeks in mid summer.

Open meadows

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Purple Coneflower Echinacea purpurea

This native to North American prairies is humming with

activity during late July and August Performs well in the

summer sun. Grows 2-3 tall.

Open meadows

Speedwell Veronica spicata

Spires of blue flowers enliven the garden and drive the

bees crazy. Grows 23 tall. Upright habit.

Open meadows

Goldenrod Solidago canadensis

This BC native grows wild along Boundary Bay and is a

bee and butterfly magnet at the Earthwise Garden.

Prefers a sunny moist place. The native goldenrod

grows to 4 tall and can need support without sufficient

moisture.

Native

Wet meadows

Disturbed sites

Sea HollyEringium planum

Drought resistant and great in flower arrangements.

Blue flowers like thistles on tall narrow plant. This is the

most active bee plant in the garden in late July. Flower

stems about 3 high.

Dry sandy soils


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Michaelmas daisyAster douglassii

This species is one of the asters native to the Pacific

Northwest. An excellent bee plant for late summer

gardens growing 3-4 tall and blooming for many weeks.

Native

Wet meadows

Anise-HyssopAgastache feniculum

This licorice scented plant is another North American

prairie native, attracting both butterflies and bees.

Blooms mid-summer.Flower spikes to about 4.

Open meadows

Joe Pye Weed Eupatorium purpurea

Not really a weed but another North American native,

at home in wet meadows. The species gets very tall but

this cultivar, Phantom, is only about 3-4

Wet meadows

Fennel Foeniculum vulgare

Fennel is grown as an herb or for its delicious anise

root. It also provides nectar for bees late in the season.

Growing to about 4 tall its feathery foliage looks great

at the back of the flower bed. Another self seeds, great

where its wanted.

Self-seeds easily

Drought tolerant

Pincushion Flower Scabiosa columbaria Moon Dance

Scabiosa is a favourite of butterflies as well as bees. This

unusual variety grows about 18 tall and has creamy

flowers blooming for many weeks in late summer.

Open sunny sites


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Serbian bellflowerCampanula poscharshyana

There are many kinds of campanula blooming

throughout the season. This one grows 6 high and

spreads, tumbling over walls and ledges, blooming for

weeks throughout the summer.

Open woodland

Sun or shade okay

Stonecrop Sedum Bertram Anderson The border

Sedums star in late summer plantings and are much

sought after by bees. This variety growing to 2 tall has

red black foliage and pink flowers. We have it plantedwith tan ornamental grasses at Earthwise.

Dry sites

Full sun

Black Eyed Susan Rudbeckia fulgida Goldsturm

One of the mostpopular late summer perennials

blooming for many weeks in August and September,

this variety makes a nice 2 clump, covered with bees.

Wet meadows

Some shade okay

Bluebeard Caryopteris x clandonensis

Bees love this cheerful shrub that blooms at the end of

the summer. Low growing to 3 it is an ecellent choice

for dry sunny spots.

Dry sunny sites

Helens Flower Helenium autumnale

Masses of autumn toned daisies for the late summer in

yellow, gold, and rusty reds. The tall growing plant to 4

appreciates lots of water. Native to western North

America.

Native

Wet meadow


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Autumn JoySedum var.

One of the longest seasons of interest of any perennial

Autumn Joy starts to show colour in mid July and

continues until frost. Compact plants, fleshy leaves,

grows about 2 tall.

Dry

Sun

Verbena Verbena bonariensis

Verbena is a short lived perennial that cheerfully self

seeds wherever it is happy. Flowers are attractive to

insects and are held on long stems up to 3-4 tall.

Blooms summer through late fall.

Dry

Open meadows

Bee Friendly Plants for Your Garden and Farm1

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